The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued the Interim Guidelines for the Safety of Ammonia-Fuelled Ships (MSC.1/Circ.1687), marking a significant milestone in regulatory support for alternative fuels.
The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) approved the guidelines at its 109th session in December 2024, following their development and finalisation by the Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC) at its 10th session in September 2024. BIMCO has actively participated in all aspects of the work contributing to these guidelines and to the development of future mandatory provisions. Continue reading “BIMCO shares IMO interim guidelines for safety of ammonia-fuelled ships”
IACS, the membership organisation for the world’s leading classification societies, has published its 2024 Annual Review, which highlights the central role played by IACS in supporting safety standards in global shipping.
BMP Maritime Security has been published by a series of industry Associations, including BIMCO, ICS, IMCA, INTERCARGO, INTERTANKO & OCIMF supported by over forty maritime stakeholders. It is a consolidated and enhanced publication Best Management Practices (BMP) for Maritime Security (MS).
Marine surveyors and boat owners are regularly heard to say there is a minimum 4.0mm of hull thickness required at time of survey of a steel narrowboat. Some brokers even publish videos of such information, with some surveyors enforcing it (Whilton Marina, 2012 and 2016). Boaters are subject to it and repair often follows. In a recent article, Geoff Waddington (2021) explains there is confusion in the industry about wastage limits, and consequently acceptable residual hull plate thicknesses, and opinions among surveyors ‘vary wildly’, with some quoting 3mm acceptable minimum plate thickness, others using percentage loss. This short paper explores what a standardised acceptable limit for diminution, and therefore residual steel plate thickness for narrowboats, could be. It describes a variety of methods of calculating the design plate thicknesses (scantlings) and the minimum acceptable residual plate thickness. In doing so, this paper aims to serve as a guide for inland waterways marine surveyors, boat owners, repairers, and insurers alike. 
Many agricultural bulk cargos and forestry products are required to undergo fumigation on board ships to prevent infestation. However, to achieve the efficacy, the fumigation operation started at the load port often needs to continue in transit to the discharge port. Such “in-transit fumigation” may endanger the safety and lives of crew members and shore based personnel if not handled properly. The toxicity of the fumigant makes it extremely important to raise awareness of the dangers of in transit fumigation.
New global team of 150 experts will help the sector navigate decarbonisation and digitalisation challenges. During Singapore Maritime Week, Lloyd’s Register (LR) unveiled its newly structured LR maritime advisory services, designed to help address escalating regulatory demands, rising decarbonisation costs, and the increasing influence of digitalisation.